Rendell to layoff workers, keep rewarding allies

Governor Rendell today announced that he projects Pennsylvania’s revenue shortfall to reach $2.3 billion, updated from $1.6 billion a month ago and $1.9 billion a week ago, suggesting their may need to be layoffs, and he wants “no whining.” John Micek also reports that Rendell expects $900 million from a federal “stimulus” and will “zero-out” WAMs in the next budget.

Matt Brouillette’s Capitol Domes post hammers Governor Rendell for his “Do as I say, not as I do” rhetoric, namely creating a new position for his buddy Dan Surra while threatening these layoffs. This follows Rendell’s freezing workers pay while shoveling out grants to snowmobile clubs, unveiling a website about a woodchuck in a car accident, and most recently dolling out $12 million in grants for agriculture and tourism and $3.5 million for the “President’s House” project.

The Burlington County Times editorializes that there can be “no sacred cows” in the budget, presumably that includes jobs for Rendell’s buddies and his pork-barrel projects.